Waffles
by Lady Eden Death
Summary: In which Kurama reveals his jealousy, Kaito is diabolical, and Sunako's omitted scenes are revealed...to you. The Remix of Pancakes. Waffles, because we like them squared.
1. Chapter 1

Alright, so this began as chapter 10 for Pancakes due to a certain request made by a certain duo 'Spidey meets Wizard-Theif'. However, I found myself enjoying it a bit much writing from Kurama and Kaito's POVs (Kaito's chapter is number 2), and I also loved the prospect of adding additional scenes that Sunako so kindly/annoyingly decides to leave out. Thus here is Waffles, which is Pancake remixed into Kurama and Kaito's POVs with all new material, insight, and yada yada. Hope you all enjoy!

-1-1-1-1-1-

Chapter 1: This Pertains to Class {Remix 1.0}

(Kurama's POV)

I slowly walk through the halls of Meiou, carefully avoiding the various fangirls who have ulterior motives to 'accidentally' stepping in my path. First days of school are, perhaps, the best, as said fangirls are often times much too confused with worrying over where there next class will be to pay me much attention. The few who do force me to pause and give my attention, I kindly point out the correct direction towards their destination. They then thank me, tittering and batting their eyelashes. It is, in its own way, slightly amusing, while at the same time flattering. I do what I can to not break their hearts, and yet simultaneously attempt to portray the fact that I am not interested in any such romantic relationships with them. I am, after all, currently infatuated with Hayakawa Sunako. She happens to share the class to where I am headed; chemistry. After weeks of anticipation, I will finally see her again.

I see her familiar form slipping into the classroom and smile to myself. No doubt she's a bundle of nerves at this point. I can only wonder what conclusion she has come to, and I do greatly hope that I won't be disappointed. The human heart can be a fickle thing, if I were to admit the truth. Factor into the equation her young age, Sunako may very well no longer be interested in me. Not that I could completely blame her after the trauma she may have experienced during the tournament. On that note, I wonder if her parents have seen the amaranth carved into her side? She is unable to wear a bathing suite without it peeking over the side-unless she were to wear a one-piece, true.

Banishing those thoughts from my mind, I step into the classroom only to be flocked by several girls and a few boys. Some chatter about more innocent intentions, including my joining a club they are a part of or asking if I might help them with their homework later. I decline the majority of these invites as politely as I can, although I opt to agree to joining an after-school club that I was part of last year. They are already aware of my frequent absences from their meetings, and have not objected to these minor qualms in the least. On top of that, being in a club will look good on a college application should I choose to take that route in life.

As for the other quips regarding such things as dates, and would I please be their first boyfriend, I can only smile and turn down such offers as gently as possible. A few girls look downhearted, outright rejected, however this is not something I can necessarily prevent. I do feel a slight pang of guilt run through me at their expressions of utter shock and rejection.

My eyes slide over to Sunako, who is zoned out into her own world as I have come to expect from her. She frequently allows her mind to wonder, and I am somewhat curious as to what she is thinking about.

I move across the room to take the seat beside hers, and she turns her head to stare at the blackboard up front, glaring at it. My heart beats quicken; perhaps she is no longer interested in me? She may have chosen to hold me somewhat responsible for what occurred at the tournament, for all that Sakyo did to her. I suppose I should give her some room then. Wait until she appears more comfortable before I engage her in any sort of conversation.

I sit down next to her, and pull the books I will need for class out of my backpack as well as a notebook. I start to jot down a few things on the paper, meanwhile I watch Sunako out of the corner of my eye. She is fidgeting plenty in her seat. I know very well that she hates silence. And, the faint blush on her cheeks tells me that perhaps I was wrong previously. She does seem to have some feelings left for me still. Whether or not she realizes or acknowledges it is another story.

She sighs, sits up completely straight, and shoves her hands into her lap. Poor girl is completely going crazy with my silence. Perhaps I should relieve her of some of this tension. "Tomorrow, for breakfast, I believe I'd like some pancakes," I say, smiling. She shoots me a look-and, if looks could kill, I would have died several times over.

A few girls around us begin to whisper, asking one another why I would say such a thing to Sunako. A few of our male classmates are looking over at us as well. Sunako's face is pure red, her embarrassment more than obvious. She looks adorable, flustered, and I have to bite back a laugh. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks away from me.

Ah, Sunako's going to give me the silent treatment, I take it. My smile widens slightly at the juvenile gesture. All the same, I will continue to address her. "Two more classes after this then we're homebound." I am quite sure there is something I can say to bring about a vocal reaction from her. I watch her, my head cocked to the side. "Perhaps you'll be talking to me by math class, at least?"

She once more fails to respond, and I sigh. I turn back to the piece of paper I had previously been writing on then start to finish the list. Sunako attempts to sneak a peek at the writing, and so I slide my arm between us, blocking her view. She pouts a little. Another sigh escapes my lips. She can be so stubborn sometimes. Which reminds me of another disappointing subject.

"I have health class next. From what I hear, they're doing a special 'parenting' class in there," I say, wrinkling my nose at the prospect of taking care of some doll with a random girl.

Sunako whips around to face me, although careful enough to not attract attention from the teacher. "Two things, Shuichi. First, I have health class with you that means. Second, I like babies." I look at her once more and smirk. She's so cute when she gets mad. And all because she believes I am against babies. Sunako blushes once more as my eyes roam her face. "Do we get to pick partners, or are they chosen for us?"

I look away from her when she brings up that part of the assignment. "No, Sunako. Partners are pre-selected by the teacher, of course. All boy-girl partners to be politically correct."

She takes in this information with a nod, humming slightly to herself. She then tries to sneak another peek at the list. "Uhm...what are you writing?"

I shrug at her question, not wanting to ruin the surprise, and Kaito chooses this moment to walk into the room. I watch Sunako carefully out of the corner of my eye. She is watching Kaito, fondly I might add. As though he means something to her. I can feel my jaw tense. Quickly, I force myself to relax. Perhaps I am just overreacting, still only worried that she no longer holds romantic feelings towards me.

Kaito smiles at Sunako, and my heart skips a beat; she waves at him. I stiffen completely this time, my teeth gritting together somewhat noisily. "He and I aren't together," she whispers quickly. I look at her and wait, wondering what else she has to say. If they are not together, then why is it that they suddenly appear so fond of one another? Kaito does not take lightly to others; he views the majority of the students at Meiou as beneath him. Intellectually, this is true, however he takes his superiority complex to another level. Is that the kind of man Sunako is interested in? "W-well...I don't not like you."

I am not quite sure what to say to her. This needs to be put off, however, as the teacher is on her way in. I start to stand, and Sunako almost grabs me, however catches herself and pulls back her hand. "Shuichi, please sit and listen." I spare a glance in her direction, hope that she does not get the wrong impression, and then walk to the front of the class.

I bow to Akubo-sensei in greeting and then straighten myself. She smiles at me, and I return the gesture. "Sorry, Akubo-sensei, but I will be unable to tutor those students personally. Perhaps I could create a sheet that may help them, however I will be busy with other things after school. I hope this is not a problem."

"Oh, no," she assures me, and I can tell that she is still slightly disappointed. "A sheet would be great though. I hear that sometimes students just need to see it explained differently. Anything you can manage will be fine, Minamino-kun. I appreciate any help you have to offer."

"Of course," I say before excusing myself to take a seat once more. The bell rings, and I return to the table I will be sharing with Sunako. I pause upon arriving at the side of the table, and look at Sunako. I blink once, and she looks away. Then her eyes dart around in various directions as she tries miserably to appear inconspicuous. Sometimes-most times-she is such a horrible actress.

I lower myself into my chair beside her, and fold my hands in front of me. I pretend to listen to the teacher like my classmates, however I already know all the material we shall be learning. There is also the fact that Akubo-sensei is first covering the introduction to chemistry and going over the safety issues we will face. It's a standard, albeit boring necessity. I wonder if Akubo-sensei ever gets tired of it?

Upon noticing Sunako is hardly paying attention to the lecture as well, I whisper, "I wouldn't mind reaching for my bag-if I wasn't positive you would scream, and thus draw attention towards us." Once more she is a blushing virgin. Ah. I swallow down that thought.

She glowers at me and pushes my bag towards me with her foot. It hits into my leg, and I smirk. I do not quite understand why she had taken my bag in the first place, unless she was feeling insecure with my leaving to speak with the teacher. Hmm. It is a likely theory.

I push the list I had been writing over to her. She blinks curiously then lowers her gaze to read. She does a grand job of pretending to listen to Akubo-sensei as well, which I presume is to prevent the list from being taken and read out loud. I am not quite sure if she is going to guard it so well once she finishes reading it.

Sunako slams her head against the desk, and I jump at the sudden 'crash' of the impact. I stare at her, along with the entire class. Akubo-sensei gasps in shock and asks Sunako if she is okay. Quite a number of our classmates are laughing, and even more are staring at Sunako as though she is insane. Which, I'll be the first to admit, is quite likely.

"Have you ever not known if you're in love?" She asks it so innocently, and it nearly melts my heart. So she is confused after all, I was correct. I will have to lighten up on her. Akubo-sensei, however, is outright glaring at Sunako. Whether it's due to the question Sunako asked, or the fact that her lecture was interrupted, I am not quite certain. "W-well...you know...with...chemistry...and..." I cannot help but laugh, silently. My shoulders are shaking, a hand over my face and my head bowed to keep it tame. How embarrassing.

"Hayakawa-chan, please see me after class." Sunako eyes the desk, and I know she is probably considering slamming her head against it again.

"B-but..." Sunako sputters, and Akubo-sensei clears her throat. Sunako whips around to look at me and hisses, "You're the devil!" I can no longer hold it in; I burst into a fit of laughter. I can see the kids around me freezing. In school, I am normally more reclusive and do not show much emotion. This must be a new side of me they are seeing.

Akubo-sensei sighs. "Perhaps I shall have to assign you new seats?"

"No, Akubo-sensei," I say, calming myself. I offer her a smile to show that I will do my best to contain myself, and she nods after a moment. The lecture once more resumes. A few of my fangirls are still staring at Sunako as though she has grown two heads, and others are looking at myself. Kaito, I note, is also watching Sunako. I cannot help but wonder why he is paying her so much attention. Has he gained a certain interest in her?

The remainder of the class transpires without any indiscretions. Sunako ignores me, and I do what I can to avoid any form of communication with her; I would feel guilty if she were to get detention due to anything I did. I can see her visibly wince when the bell rings, and I know very well she is biting back a groan.

Her head is bowed as she walks up to Akubo-sensei. She looks something similar to a kicked puppy, and I wonder if she is doing this on purpose? Perhaps to gain sympathy and thus lessen her punishment? That sounds exactly like something Sunako would do. Akubo-sensei, however, stares back at Sunako with a poker face. Something adults are quite good at when need be. Sunako is fidgeting under that gaze.

I shake my head and start to put my books into my backpack so that I can go to health class. It is such a disappointment that our partners are assigned. My eyes travel to Kaito, and he returns my gaze for but a moment. Then we both go back to our own tasks. What are the chances of her being partnered up with Kaito? Hmm.

"Hayakawa-chan," Akubo-sensei begins with a soft voice just as I finish placing my final book into my bag. "Please try to contain your thoughts."

"Yes, ma'am," Sunako replies, her voice quieter than usual. I begin to lift my bag to sling it over my shoulder when the girl continues. "I'm just...have you ever had an older man touch you inappropriately, but like...then that interferes with a relationship you're trying to have? And then you don't know if you're in love with the person any more because you haven't seen them for a while and there's another really hot guy too? You know, like one of those ridiculous soap operas? Yeah..."

There is an echoing thud as Kaito and I drop our backpacks on the floor. My heart is racing and I feel slightly sick to my stomach. For multiple reasons. First, Sunako just recounted a very true part of her life to a teacher, and Inari knows how Akubo-sensei will react. Two, Sunako is completely unsure whether she likes me or not due to what Sakyo did to her. Three, she is, without a doubt, interested in Kaito sexually. I grit my teeth together. That is not something I wanted to hear.

Akubo-sensei asks Sunako if her father is touching her inappropriately. "No, I'd call the cops, you spaz." Just like Sunako to insult someone who is concerned for her unintentionally. But-how could she still be interested in Kaito? Granted, I had prepared myself for this, anticipated it, yet...

The teacher places a hand on Sunako's shoulder. "Honey, are you worried about the project in health class? I'm sure whoever your partner is, they will take care of your child."

"Well, yeah, they better...otherwise I'd castrate them." Akubo-sensei clears her throat just as I once more lift up my bag, and adjust it over my shoulder. I head towards the front of the room so that I can leave. "My cat just got fixed so it tore up my diary in retaliation. I just...I feel like a part of me is ruined forever!"

The thoughts of Rugia getting fixed help slightly to lift my mood. I watch Sunako, smiling and holding back the laughter. She blushes lightly. There is no doubt in my mind; she does love me, whether or not she realizes it. The only issue here is that she still harbors feelings for Kaito. That is something I will have to fix.

I walk into health class, once more declining multiple invitations to join school clubs and offers to become a tutor. I also kindly point out other students who would be appropriate for those positions.

Shortly after my entrance, Sunako arrives, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. This, of course, draws my attention to the bit of skin she reveals. A part of me wants to tell her to stop, if only so that others are unable to see so much of her. Before I can say anything, however, she slips-on air. She falls forward just as I reach for the chair to the desk I have picked out...Hmm. Perhaps I should not have lifted my hands to move them out of the way, seeing as how now they have managed to lift her skirt. I lower my gaze for a moment, my thumb sliding along the amaranth-shaped scar on her; I hide what portion of it I can from view as our classmates stare, quite a number of them whistling.

I quickly remove my hands, careful to cover the scar first, and apologize to Sunako. She glares at me, and I am quite aware that she is without a doubt mortified. "Are you alright?"

She ignores the question and takes a seat in the closest available desk, burying her head in her hands. I sit down the in the desk next to hers, and there is a flurry as quite a few girls fight over who will sit in the other seats around me. I ignore them and watch Sunako. She perks up only slightly once her friend, Mayu, walks into the room.

"Cute underwear, Hayakawa," a boy whispers as he walks by. I believe his name is Tsube. A few kids nearby snicker in response to his jibe.

"I liked them," I say, silencing a few of the laughs. "They're very modest."

"You're batting a thousand!" Sunako says aloud, lifting her head from the desk and staring at me. I smile at her. She uses such American expressions sometimes. "Look, I'm just having a rough day. Besides, it's not like I got to talk to anybody about-"

"Oh, good! You do get along with him now, Sunako!" Mayu says, successfully cutting Sunako off before the girl can reveal anything regarding the tournament or spirit world to our classmates. Sunako forces a smile at her friend, and then Mayu moves to take the seat next to Kaito, as it is the only one left.

Sunako eyes the girls around me warily. She is probably worried what they will do if she says the wrong thing to me, especially after the incident where she smacked me at the arcade. Plus, her and I had not really talked to one another last year.

"Look, just don't be a dick right now, okay?"

"Miss Hayakawa!" Sunako jumps at the sound of our teacher's voice. We all turn to face him as he enters the room and stands at the front. "Just because this is health class and we will be learning about babies, it does not mean you need to discuss the organs used in creating-"

"I was calling him a dick, not talking about his cock," Sunako says, cutting off the teacher. My pulse speeds up. Hearing the terms 'dick' and 'cock' come from her mouth are, well, rather arousing.

I do what I can to ignore any such less-than-innocent thoughts coming to mind, and avoid her gaze.

"Well, I mean...I don't even think about his dick at all." Slam. Her head hits the table, and I have to urge to mimic her action right there. This is getting to be very awkward, and I can only wait-knowing Sunako, it is about to get worse. "Okay...I accidentally walked in on him when he was naked once!"

There are times, such as these, when I wish I would be proven wrong. "U-uh...Minamino-san...why... why were you naked?" Yuri asks shyly. Our teacher is at a loss for words, blushing. Welcome, boys and girls, to Sunako's hour of High School Drama 101.

Just remember, I tell myself, you love her. And due to this fact, I must do what I can to save face.

I sigh and look at her; she stares at me from her place on the desk, still attempting to obscure her face with her hands. "Hayakawa-chan had spilled her drink on me when I had been assisting her with a math project she had assigned to herself. I went to the bathroom to dry it off, and she..."

"It's not my fault I had to pee and thought he went to the other bathroom," she chimes in at just the right moment.

"Exactly." A few of our classmates are staring at us as though we have lost our minds. I simply smile at our teacher. "Sorry, this is irrelevant to the class period."

Our teacher nods, somewhat satisfied with the explanation and apology. He writes his name upon the board. Iono-sensei. He then proceeds to explain the project we will be a part of in health class, one that will last for a few weeks. A large disappointment for me. Sunako, however, is grinning as though Christmas has come early for her.

"I will now list off the partners." My heart begins to race. I cannot help but wonder whom Sunako shall get paired with. So long as it's a platonic relationship between the pair, I will not care.

A note is slid onto her desk. She slowly opens it and looks inside. The girl behind Sunako giggles to herself, then jumps as Iono-sensei says, "Megumi Hana and Minamino Shuichi."

Hana smiles widely. Sunako and I look at one another at the same time. She mouths, 'I'm not cooking pancakes for her.' I nod, grinning. I had not expected her to cook for anyone else.

"Kaito Yuu and Hayakawa Sunako." My heart skips a beat and then almost stops as Sunako jumps up and shouts 'Score!'. She then sits down quickly. I narrow my eyes while looking at her. Did she _want_ to be paired with him? This is not a good sign. I will have to ask her about this later.

Iono-sensei gets through the list of partners, and then starts to call up each pair to pick up their 'child', as well as the supplies they will need. Hana leans over Sunako's shoulder while Iono-sensei hands another 'couple' their doll. "You know, I think it's sweet you made friends with Shuichi."

Sunako has a very familiar expression on her face; the one where you can tell she wants to say something along the lines of 'What the fuck' and yet is for once listening to better judgment. She sighs and does not respond.

After Hana settles down in her own seat once more, I lean towards Sunako. "Sorry about before," I whisper. She looks at me strangely, confused. "I was trying to see if I could feel the scar." It is a lie of sorts, however I do not want to remind her that everyone was looking at every inch of exposed skin. Panties, thighs, and scar alike. I did not want her to have to explain how she obtained such an intricate scar to the faculty of the school, which is exactly would have happened had the kids seen it.

she glances down towards her hip and nods. "That's actually how I met Kaito," she whispers back. I quirk an eyebrow at the word 'met'. "I was looking for some nice clothes that twill hide it, but still look nice. Baggy shirts and all. He told me that he had a cousin who was horrible scarred and so needed clothes like that."

I frown at the thought that crosses my mind. "Mm...you showed him it, didn't you?"

Sunako shakes her head. "No, no. Of course not. I told him I had a scar on my hip that went down my thigh though. You know, when he asked me why I was looking at clothes like that."

I feel slightly better about this, and I have to admit that I am thankful Kaito helped her through that patch of rough time. I watch Sunako, and she is quiet. Very quiet, and drifting into her thoughts once more. "With what's going on with you-with Rugia-I do not expect you to admit your undying love for me."

"Then what do you want me to say?" She sounds slightly disappointed. Was she wanting me to desire that of her?

I fight the urge to brush back the strands of Sunako's hair that are falling into her face. "Are you opposed to me ever kissing you?"

She is blushing deeply. "N-no. I-"

"That's all, Sunako." I smile, leaning closer to her. I am so tempted to steal a kiss right here, right now. "You haven't lost your feelings for me. You're simply unsure how to pursue them-if you even want to pursue them."

"God, you're smart," she groans out, burying her head in her hands again. She is so naive in many ways, and I cannot help but worry that Kaito will try to play off of that to strengthen the rivalry we have.

"I don't want you to be near Kaito though."

"Yeah, well, he's my baby's daddy." I sigh and turn away. I will refrain from reminding her that it is a doll. This school project is going to be trying on my patience. I do not know whether to laugh or groan when I hear Sunako mutter. "This is the shortest pregnancy ever. Five minutes and I already have a baby. And without sex too. Man, I'm absolutely amazing."

This, of course, was following her being called up by Iono-sensei. Thus, once she has finished muttering to herself, Sunako walks up to the front of the room with Kaito, who is waiting for her to join him. I take a deep breath to calm myself, to ignore the knowing look Kaito sends in my direction. Sunako needs to request a new partner from Iono-sensei.

-Math Class-

Sunako is cooing over her little doll while the teacher up front starts to lecture. In fact, many of the females who have begun the project in health class are concentrated on their 'babies'. I am only thankful that Hana acted similarly and has the child in class with her; a different class, I believe it was English. Kaito, unfortunately, is in our math class as well. For this class there was assigned seating, and the three of us are all separated. Not that I mind Sunako being distant from Kaito. However, I would have liked to have this chance to speak with her.

Between classes, Sunako and Hana had thought up this 'wonderful' idea that the four of us should meet in the library. To get more material on parenting, they said. Once again, I had chosen to _not_ point out that the object in their arms was nothing more than a doll.

I hold back a sigh and wait for the school day to end so that I can perhaps talk some sense into Sunako.

-After School-

Sunako tells Kaito to not worry about the fact that he has to leave early from studying today due to an appointment. Hana is playing with our health project a few seats over from Sunako's. As for myself, I am standing close to Sunako, staring down at the doll in her arms. She continuously refers to it as 'Kaito and Sunako's love child'. I know this is partly to irritate me-which is working-and partly because Sunako and Kaito are in disagreement over the doll's name. She coos to the doll once more.

Hers and Kaito's love child. It runs through my head like a broken stereo, and I have to get rid of the thing. My hands begin to inch towards the doll. "Don't you hurt my baby, Shuichi," Sunako says in a stern, motherly voice.

I pause, my eyes narrow and teeth flush against one another as she says that. Her baby. "I'm not going to hurt it, Sunako." I continue to stare at the doll that is situated atop the table in the makeshift car seat each set of partners was given.

"Her." I can feel my lips lift in a snarl. She is doing this on purpose. I need to get rid of the blasted thing. I snatch up the doll and head out of the room in a swift move. Sunako literally jumps as I walk past her and she screeches: "Give me back my baby, you psychopath!"

Right before the door swings closed, I hear Hana's voice chime in: "Shuichi! That's not our little Tohru-kun." It seems Hana has named our doll. Fantastic.

-1-1-1-1-1-

I will be doing the entire story of Pancakes in this version. Both in Kurama's POV and in Kaito's POV. Thus next chapter is 'This Pertains to Class {Remix 2.0}'. In which Kaito experiences Sunako's bizarreness for himself.


	2. Chapter 2

After this is completed, I will have to work on Pancakes chapter 10. Hope everyone enjoys this in the mean time!

-1-1-1-1-

Chapter 2: This Pertains to Class {Remix 2.0}

(Kaito's POV)

It is another dull day at Meiou, and once more I am faced with the fact that here I am second best. Number two in terms of grades, second only to a certain Minamino Shuichi. It is quite irksome that he manages to best me in certain areas of studies and thus obtain position of first. Prior to attending to same school to Minamino, I was number one in school. Intelligent, promising, a young genius many would say, especially when it came to field of language. Literature is without any doubt my preferred area of expertise, one I manage to retain even here, where I have been knocked down a pedestal into a lower level of genius. I am third only in one subject here, and that is math. Shuichi, naturally, continues to uphold his superiority there, much to the chagrin of myself and the runner up, Hayakawa Sunako. Unlike most girls-most people in general-Sunako adores math.

She is quite a peculiar female, one whom I have had the chance to speak with over summer break. These previous few weeks we discussed many topics in regards to literature and school. She will be in my chemistry class, to which I am currently headed. I hear that a certain Minamino Shuichi will also be present, and I can only hope to best him this year. I will have to disappoint Sunako and do better than both Shuichi and herself in math.

I walk into the room, and notice that Sunako is sitting beside Minamino. How odd; I had obtained the impression that the pair of them were not on friendly terms with one another. At the beginning of summer, there were signs that they were beginning to kindle a sort of a relationship, however she had displayed no such hints on any of our meetings.

She stares at me, her face a dead give away that she harbors feelings for me that ascend the platonic level. It's flattering, to be sure. Her intellect does intrigue me, and during the moments she is not giving into her eccentric nature, Sunako does strike me as someone with whom I would be able to have a romantic relationship. However, I must emphasize that her eccentric nature is predominant, and thus she is only friend material.

I smile at Sunako and move to take a seat towards the back of the class. She waves in my direction in response. Although I fail to return the gesture, I am aware she had expected as much from me. I cannot help but notice that Minamino tenses when Sunako pays any sort of attention to my person. Interesting. I am well aware that he harbors feelings for Hayakawa, and yet Sunako seems to reciprocate those feelings as she leans close to him and whispers something.

I sit down, pull out a book from my bag and a notebook to write down anything that might be useful in this class, and then I watch the pair.

Sunako, I have learned, cannot talk without the use of her hands. She needs them to emphasize certain points when she is upset. Even when she whispers, her fingers flex and wriggle about as though she is possessed.

Concluding that Sunako and Minamino are in some sort of romantic relationship, whether it is current or previous, I focus my attention on the book in my hand. Sunako insisted I read this book. After declining multiple times, she went out and purchased the object now settled in my hands. She gave it to me as a gift, and told me that I could not return it without proving that I am rude. Thus I am saddled down with this story, and am indeed going to read its contents so that this next time she asks how I like it-this next time, I add again, for she has asked me a total of thirty-seven times-I can properly respond without lying. Sunako is a very determined girl. Yet another aspect of her that fascinates me.

Naturally, one may be curious as to the title of the book I am to read; it is a popular item by Suzuki Koji. The majority of the people in this school have seen the films based off its contents. I am, therefore, of course speaking of Ring. As to why Sunako insists that I read this particular book, I am not sure. It's somewhat different than the movie, she explained. I then told her quite plainly that I had no interest in the book, and the movie itself was of little quality in terms of entertainment. She had sighed and shaken her head, saying, "Kaito, Kaito, Kaito. You just don't understand that the books I read are awesome. Plain and simple." Hayakawa Sunako, to be frank, has a very self-inflated ego.

Akubo-sensei enters the room just as I begin to open the book and read the first page. Minamino has walked to the front of the class in order to speak with the teacher, meanwhile Sunako seems disappointed by something. I watch her for a moment over the rim of the book; she hooks her foot into the strap of Minamino's backpack and then brings the object to rest between her legs. How odd.

My gaze drops to the second page as the bell rings; Minamino has started to return to the desk he is sharing with Sunako. Already, I must admit that Suzuki-san has a way with words. The novel seems promising enough, with a generous description of the scenery without it being obnoxious.

The girl to my right is leaning in her seat, attempting to listen in on the conversation that is transpiring between Sunako and Minamino. It is to be expected. Minamino has always been popular with the ladies. How he manages to balance studying, the females who approach him often, and his double-life that Master Genkai has recently revealed, I would be very interested in discovering. I give credit where credit is due, and in this case Minamino does deserve a hats off.

There is a resounding thud in the room that attracts the attention of the entire class, myself included. We are looking at Sunako, who seems to have decided it best for the world if she slam her head against the surface of the table in front of her. Akubo-sensei gasps in surprise, jumping slightly at the sight of her student willingly doing such a thing. "Are you okay, Hayakawa?" Several of the kids in the class laugh a bit at Sunako, who is blinking and raising her head from the wood. Perhaps I should not trust her self-acclaimed judgment when it comes to many things, the book in my hands possibly the only exception one will find for quite some time.

"Have you ever not known if you're in love?" Sunako asks the teacher, who glares at her in return. Hayakawa looks something akin to a kicked puppy, and there is something in her voice that hints she is close to tears. I wonder what could be the matter? Did Minamino say something to upset her? And that question-whom, exactly, does she believe she's in love with? "W-well…you know…with…chemistry…and…"

Minamino is fighting to hold back his laughter. Sunako still appears as though she will cry any moment. I frown when my eyes return to Minamino.

"Hayakawa-chan, please see me after class."

Knowing Sunako as well as I do, I imagine she is eyeballing the desk in front of her, contemplating the prospect of slamming her face against its surface for a second time. I am now slightly worried that there is some pressing issue bothering her. Master Genkai did not reveal much after she learned I was spending some free time with Hayakawa, however she did say to not press on certain topics. Or corner Sunako in any manner. Something occurred at the tournament, Master Genkai said, that may have resulted in some mental trauma for Sunako. I wonder if perhaps this has anything to do with the scar she told me about a few weeks back?

"B-but…" Sunako sputters out in response to Akubo-sensei's verdict. Our teacher clears her throat, as though this is a suitable answer to whatever protest Hayakawa may think up. Sunako whips around and glares at Minamino. "You're the devil!" she says in a hiss.

A few girls start to stand, and I recognize them to be in the Minamino fan club. Their object of affection, however, finally bursts into laughter. They freeze at the sound, stunned. I, too, am surprised that Minamino has managed to lose his normally calm façade. There is a chance that Sunako might be good for him; that is to say, she might bring out a more human aspect in the being otherwise known as Kurama.

Akubo-sensei releases a loud sigh. "Perhaps I shall have to assign you new seats?"

"No, Akubo-sensei," Minamino says whilst calming himself. I imagine he is smiling at our teacher, something to reassure her that he does not intend to interrupt class for a second time. This works, as Akubo-sensei nods after a moment of consideration and returns to her lecture.

What time is left of the class transpires without incident; I manage to read a decent portion of the book. The bell rings, and my classmates file out of the room while chatting amongst themselves. I imagine Sunako is making her way to Akubo-sensei so that she can learn what her punishment shall be for interrupting the class. I wonder if she will be punished. It is the first mishap on her part, and Sunako is one of the higher ranking students of Meiou's honor roll.

I slide my notebook into the my bag, and then my chemistry book, which was rendered unnecessary for today's lecture regarding introductions and safety issues. I stare down at Ring for a moment, wondering if I should take it to health class or slip it into my locker on the way. The project we are to start today, I know, will require my full attention. Depending on whom I get paired with, more attention than I wish to offer. If luck favors me today, I will get paired with a girl who values her grade, and not just someone who is looking for an easy A. Perhaps Hayakawa or her friend, Mayu.

I wonder if Minamino is hoping to gain Hayakawa as his health partner? My eyes raise to him, simultaneous to the moment he gazes at me. I return my attention to the book. I'll place it in the locker.

"Hayakawa-chan," Akubo-sensei begins in a soft voice. She seems to be trying to calm or console Sunako. I look at the girl, and realize she is giving her best abused-puppy look. "Please try to contain your thoughts."

I lift my bag over my shoulder and take the first step to leave when Sunako begins. "Yes, ma'am." She says it very quietly, and I pause in my next step, wondering if perhaps I should wait for her and walk her to her next class. We have health together, if I correctly recall. "I'm just…have you ever had an older man touch you inappropriately," she continues, and my body tenses, "but like…then that interferes with a relationship you're trying to have? And then you don't know if you're in love with the person any more because you haven't seen them for a while and there's another really hot guy too? You know, like one of those ridiculous soap operas? Yeah…"

My backpack drops to the floor with a loud thud that seems to echo. I glance at Minamino, and sure enough he had mirrored my action.

The information Sunako just provided tells me this: she was molested, although I am not quite sure how badly, by an older male-presumably this is what occurred at the tournament; she is uncertain of her feelings for Minamino, though she does without question harbor a romantic interest in him; lastly, Hayakawa Sunako does in fact possess romantic feelings towards myself. As for my reaction, I will relay them in the same order of the factors I have concluded: I believe my tolerance level for her eccentric and emotionally unstable nature has increased drastically; I am very much amused and pleased that Minamino is not going to have an easy time of wooing Hayakawa; finally, I am feeling much more flattered than previously in regards to the affection Sunako has for myself.

I linger in the same position for a bit, contemplating approaching Sunako after Akubo-sensei releases her. Our teacher is asking Hayakawa if her father has molested her, to which the girl responds: "No, I'd call the cops, you spaz."

I tuck the book Sunako gave me into my bag and watch as Akubo-sensei places a hand on Sunako's shoulder. "Honey, are you worried about the project in health class? I'm sure whoever your partner is, they will take care of your child." How Akubo-sensei arrived at that conclusion, I am unaware and ever curious.

"Well yeah, they better….otherwise I'd castrate them," Sunako answers, as though what she is saying is plain as day. Akubo-sensei clears her throat just as Minamino makes his move to leave the room. "My cat just got fixed so it tore up my diary in retaliation. I just…I feel like a part of me is ruined forever!"

At this point in time, I believe the portion of my brain that has lost the most brain cells is ruined forever.

Akubo-sensei offers words of comfort to Hayakawa, who is paying more attention to Minamino as he walks past her. She then turns to the teacher and promises to not have any more sudden outbursts, relay future news of her cat, and reminds Akubo-sensei that she, Sunako, needs to scamper-her very words-off to class. She had said it thus: "I, Sunako, must now-well, Sunako needs to scamper off to her next class."

That having been said, Hayakawa literally skips out the door, apparently in a sort of frolicking mood. I walk behind her, wondering for a brief moment about her level of sanity. Perhaps she was dropped on her head as a child? Or, then again, this could be her way of coping with having been molested. An overzealous attempt at shielding the fact she is traumatized from such an incident.

I place a hand on her shoulder, and she nearly jumps; I can feel the muscle underneath my finger tips quake at the sudden contact. "Are you alright, Sunako? You're usually more eloquent than that."

"Aww, thank you," she says with a wide grin, her eyes like those of a chick looking at its mother for the first time. Something heart-melting. Complete devotion. Then: "Huh?"

I laugh at her confused expression, and the pair of us begin heading towards health class. "What were you discussing with Shuichi?" She shrugs. A dismissive gesture, to be sure. A grin forms on my face. "You were obviously upset by something he said. Perhaps you should attempt to work it out with him in our next class, hmm?" As to why I am encouraging her to speak with Minamino, I am not quite certain. Perhaps this is due to the fact that she is obviously disappointed in something she said or did, or something on his part. Her downcast disposition is not at all flattering to her image.

I decide to bypass slipping Ring into my locker, and instead walk into the room, take a seat on the far side, and open up the book once more. Minamino reaches for a chair just as Sunako manages to trip over air. How she managed that feat, I am impressively interested in discovering. She falls forward into Minamino's arms just as he moves to lift up his hands, presumably to catch her. His limbs catch under her skirt and lift up the material. My eyes wander about the exposed flesh of Sunako's thighs and stomach before landing on Minamino's thumb, which is hooked into Hayakawa's panties. I narrow my gaze, not oblivious to the scar he is attempting to shield from others' view. It is an intricate design, from what I can tell here. Something more than a simple cut; it looks more as though someone carved something into her. Was it the same man who molested her?

I shift in my seat. There are a multitude of whistles echoing in the room from my classmates, the majority of them male. Sunako's face a tomato-red color, and I am betting that she is waiting to die from all the embarrassment of today.

Minamino removes his hands and apologizes to Sunako. I turn my attention back to the book, reading page thirty-three. Sunako's friend, Mayu, walks into the classroom. She joins in on Minamino and Hayakawa's conversation, and I begin page thirty-four. In a short time, Mayu comes and takes a seat beside mine. I turn to her, nodding in greeting. She smiles at me and leans closer to whisper, "Is it me, or is she totally flipping out today?"

I glance towards Sunako, ready to answer the question when the class falls silent due to Iono-sensei's entrance. That is to say, everyone in the class save for Sunako, who whispers in this moment of silence, "Look, just don't be a dick right now, okay?" She says it in a very innocent way, yet attempts to emphasize the malice she wants to portray. Which, admittedly, is quite difficult when you pronounce it 'dih-ihk'. Something akin to a stutter on her part, except it's a natural disposition of hers to incorrectly annunciate words that carry sexual meanings. This is yet another endearing trait of Sunako's.

Unfortunately for her, our teacher does not believe so. "Miss Hayakawa!" She jumps at the sound of Iono-sensei's voice. "Just because this is health class and we will be learning about babies, it does not mean you need to discuss the organs used in creating-"

"I was calling him a dick, not talking about his cock." Pronounced 'dih-ihk' and 'cuh-ock' respectively. Something far too innocent sounding for what she is saying. All in all, quite attractive. A few of the males around me shift in their seats, slightly embarrassed and some of them getting turned on by the obviously blushing, ignorant virgin who does not know when to shut her mouth.

Likewise, Mayu's mouth is also hanging open when Sunako looks to her for help. I smirk at the situation, highly amused.

"Well, I mean…I don't even think about his dick at all." She slams her head against the table, and I do not blame her this time. She is holding the attention of everyone in class. Even Iono-sensei is speechless. "Okay…I accidentally walked in on him when he was naked once!"

Yuri ventures to ask, "U-uh…Minamino-san…why…why were you naked?"

There is something to be said in regards to Hayakawa. When she lies, she sucks in her gut and her holds her breath for five seconds to wait for a reaction. While no one else has caught onto this fact save for her close friends, I already saw the warning signs that she is telling a fabricated truth, and Minamino is about to aid her. All in all, I do not doubt that Sunako has seen Minamino's dick, and yet I am curious as to the real story behind this incident, seeing as how I will not be hearing it within the following breaths.

"Hayakawa-chan had spilled her drink on me when I had been assisting her with a math project she had assigned to herself. I went to her bathroom to dry it off, and she…"

"It's not my fault I had to pee and thought he went to the other bathroom." Once more with the caved-in stomach and bated breath.

"Exactly," Minamino says before turning to Iono-sensei and smiling. "Sorry, this is irrelevant to the class period."

Iono-sensei nods, turns to the board, and writes his name upon its surface. He then begins to explain the project we will be participating in over the course of the following weeks. I begin to read page thirty-five of the book while I wait to hear whom I shall be partnered with. Megumi Hana and Minamino Shuichi are paired together. I glance up from my reading to see Minamino and Hayakawa's facial expressions. They are looking at one another, and when they face the front once more, they are both grinning. Neither seems too disappointed.

"Kaito Yuu," Iono-sensei begins and I look up at him, "and Hayakawa Sunako." Sunako leaps up from her seat with a shout of 'score!' before promptly returning to her previous position. Minamino looks none-the-bit thrilled at the news. I smirk to myself at this revelation then resume reading. Iono-sensei continues to pair up the class and then begins to pass out the dolls and supplies. Five minutes transpire before Sunako and I are called up to get our material.

I set Ring down on my desk and then move to the front of the room where Iono-sensei is ready to hand the doll to us. I wait for Sunako to join me, and then lift my gaze to look at Minamino. He is not pleased with this in the slightest, and I cannot help but derive amusement from this.

"Female," Iono-sensei says as he hands Sunako the doll. She cradles the object in her arms, and looks at me then at Iono-sensei. "Yes, Hayakawa-chan?"

"This baby has brown eyes. Why can't she have my blue eyes?" I sigh, and Sunako looks at me. "What? The black hair I can deal with, she can have your hair. I want her to have my eyes."

"That's not how genetics work," Iono-sensei says, handing me the supplies we will be using the care for the doll. "You should have learned about that in biology last year."

Sunako proceeds to grumble, the entire trip back to my desk. I allow her to sit in my seat and I stand beside her. She spreads the sheet we are to fill out for our 'child' across my desk and takes out a pen. We both stare at where it says 'Name' for the doll. Sunako skips over this portion and writes her name under the 'maternal figure' section, and mine in the 'paternal figure' portion. The gender is already selected and printed on the paper; female, identical to what Iono-sensei had proclaimed. It then asks for a birth date. Month and day only. Sunako taps the pen against her bottom lip.

"Do we have to write today, or do we get to make it up?"

I blink and think about this for a moment. "Stick with today's date." She nods and fills in the information. We are left only with the baby's name. "Kaito….Sakura?" I offer.

Sunako scrunches her nose. "Not Sakura. How about Sadako?"

"Ah, like Sasaki Sadako?" (1)

"No," Sunako says with a laugh. "Sadako…you know…from the Ring. The hermaphrodite."

I frown. "No, Sunako, I am not going to name my child after a hermaphrodite even if that child is only a doll."

She is quiet for a moment, thinking. "Oh." A very quiet, single syllable. She then looks at me, staring. "How about…we name her Sadako after Sasaski Sadako."

"Because you're lying when you say that is whom you are naming our child after."

Her eyes dart around. "How do you know?" I tell her that I have my ways, and she grumbles that we will leave the name blank for now.

"How, then, are we to address the child?"

Sunako pets the doll's head. "Well, I'll probably refer to her as Sadako anyhow. But for your sake, I'll call her 'Kaito and Sunako's love child'. Sounds awesome, right?" I am half tempted to allow her to christen our child Sadako.

-1-1-1-1-

1. Sasaki Sadako is the girl who died due to radiation from the atomic bombs, and who also attempted to make the thousand paper cranes; there is a monument of her in Hiroshima. It's very beautiful and there are tons and tons of paper cranes there that people have left; this is one of the places I had the chance to visit when I lived in Japan many years ago, something that has stuck with me.


	3. Chapter 3

There wasn't much to do in Kaito's POV for chapter 2 of Pancakes, so this chapter is a combination of Kurama and Kaito's POVs.

-1-1-1-1-

Chapter 3: The Question {Remix 1.5}

(Kurama's POV)

Sunako does not seem to follow me immediately, however I am under no impression that she will allow me to hold her doll for very long. As I do not want her fail health class or be responsible for replacing this doll, I will not destroy it. I walk down a few rows of lockers heading west and then turn the corner. Once there, I lean against my own locker and cradle the doll. I did promise Sunako I would not hurt the doll. Not that dolls are capable of being physically harmed in the way she means. Destroyed, yes. Hurt, no. An impossibility Sunako refuses to admit.

There also stands the fact that due to this project, she will be spending even more time with Kaito. After watching her allow certain eccentric habits of hers loose today, I am not quite sure if that will be a good thing. She seems as though something is constantly nagging at her.

There's a crash, similar to something hitting one of the lockers, coming from the hallway around the corner. This is another example of Sunako not having complete control over herself at this time. Last year, prior to discovering she had a demon within her, Sunako was the epitome of calm during school. She did not have random outbursts, and the only time I remember her being remotely obnoxious was when she was in the company of Mayu. That is to be expected, as Mayu is her best friend.

Sunako rounds the corner, however I do not look up from the doll. I do enjoy Sunako's playful side, however the issue here lies with how easily she has been disregarding common sense.

"Hey…um, can I have my baby back…ribs." I look at Sunako, my brow furrowed. It takes me a moment to realize what she said. Her focus is not there right now. "Look, today's been bad enough. Some boy already gave me a note asking if I wanted to see his dick so-"

"Which boy?" Anger wells up in my chest. I do not like the thought of any male propositioning her. She just shakes her head and shrugs. Most likely, it was a note passed to her via a chain of hands. I will have to allow this to slide then, and press with the next important subject. "Ask for a new partner, Sunako."

My eyes drop to the doll in my arms. Sunako is silent for a moment then says, "I'd feel a lot better if you'd hand her to—thanks. Anyway, Shuichi, I think I can pick out my own friends just fine."

I frown immediately at her statement. We both know it to be false. "Like Toguro?"

She only cuddles her health project closer to herself, as though she is looking for comfort from the doll. She is acting completely unreasonable right now. There is obviously something unnerving her, and the mind games Kaito will play do not need to be added to this.

I cross my arms over my chest as I turn my head to face the opposite direction. I am trying to be gentle with her, attempting to not point out some of the finer points that I perhaps should. For example, Kaito does not talk with his classmates very often unless they address him first or he has no other choice. It is also in Kaito's nature to size up each person who does confront him as he would an opponent. Due to Sunako being one of the higher ranking students on the honor roll, not to mention that she has better math skills than him, he may attempt to sabotage her so that he retains a superior position. Also, there is the fact that it is no secret I have romantic interests in Sunako. Him getting close to her could be a ploy to unnerve myself.

"Look, I'll be seeing you often enough anyway since I'll be making you breakfast. So don't be making it all awkward by starting a fight with me or trying to steal my baby."

"Sunako," I say with a sigh. I look at her in the face. I move closer, wanting to tell her that I'm not worried about hers and my relationship. I am worried that her forming any sort of relationship with Kaito will hurt her. "Nevermind." She would not listen even if I were to tell her.

She can be headstrong and determined when she chooses. I only wish she did not crumble under stress so easily, and that she listened to logic more often in the real world. While it may be useful in school, it is moreso in true situations of need.

"Well…it's better I get paired up with Kaito than whoever sent me the note asking if I want to see his cock, right?" This is true, I will concede. "Then I'd have been really screwed. Like…literally. And then there'd be a real baby. Wow…I don't think I'm ready for that."

Her expression is that of complete innocence, her eyes blinking rapidly as she realizes all these random, irrational 'facts'. "Mmm…Sunako…" How can a girl who possesses such a level of intelligence otherwise be completely naïve and illogical? "Are you under stress at home?" It is likely that Rugia is giving her a rough time now that he is stuck in the body of a kitten.

"How'd you know?" Her eyes are wide, as though I have just accomplished some amazing feat. My true response: How could I not? What I tell her, however:

"Really, you're not normally this much of a—how to put it—spaz." She looks down once more at her doll. She has this motherly look to her. A sort of glow, as though she is looking upon her child for the first time. It's beautiful, and I have every urge to kiss her. The maturity in her stance, the way she is so calm at this point in time. I wonder if I could extend the time I have with her… "You know, if Rugia is giving you trouble, I could help you."

"You're just looking for an excuse to come over to my place," she says in a very teasing voice. I shift my weight onto one leg, and she blushes upon realizing she found me out. "Uhm…though for right now you should go find your partner and son."

I do what I can to not scoff at the term 'son'. "Sunako, it's a doll."

"No…it's a boy. And Hana named him Tohru." I wonder if she is attempting to start an argument right now. We are both, I am sure, aware that it is just, I will say again, a doll.

"It does not have a penis, therefore it cannot be a male, Sunako. All of the dolls are female, only the teachers have decided to humor normal statistics and so assigned the role to a certain percentage of the toys. I refuse to adhere to that foolishness—"

"Shuichi, you're such a dork, but you sound so awesome…" She says this so plainly, yet she is blushing and staring at me as though I'm some sort of god. I swallow hard the saliva gathered in my mouth, my own face stained in blush.

Hana appears before anything more can be said; Sunako and I are not looking at one another any more. Our eyes are darting around the various lockers in this hall. There is so much I want to say to Sunako, however I do not know if she would take it correctly.

Hana loops her arm into mine, cradling Tohru in her other limb. She tugs me and we're almost immediately heading back towards the library. "Come on, we need to get our baby's things," she says in a sing-song voice.

I turn around to look at Sunako for the quick moment I can before I am dragged around the corner. "I'll call you later, Sunako."

Then Sunako is no longer in sight, has no chance to answer before there is a wailing; her doll is crying. As soon as I can break from Hana, I will have to request a favor from Hiei; Sunako needs to have an eye kept on her for a bit. With how irrational she has been today, I do not doubt she will do something very foolish.

(Kaito's POV)

I arrive at Genkai's temple, Yana and Kido trailing behind on the stairs. They arrived shortly after I had; we are all here for the same reason. We have recently acquired abnormal powers that have granted each one of us a unique ability. I have toyed with my power of taboo a few times. Yesterday, I had allowed myself to succumb to curiosity and had said the taboo word myself. Yana and Kido had been present, naturally, and they had then been faced with the task of bringing me to Genkai. She returned my soul to my body. Had it not been for her, I would have undoubtedly perished.

Kido walks at my side, craning his neck to peer at the temple we have become familiar with. "She says she's training us for something important," Kido says, no hint of disrespect in his tone, "but I'm still regretting turning down the date with this girl at school. It's a given that she puts out."

Yana whistles. "Yeah? She hot?"

"Not bad looking," Kido replies. Yana and I look at him. "She's the kind of girl you go on a date with just to get laid." Does Minamino view Hayakawa as an easy lay, I wonder. I must also contemplate the other possibility; does Sunako strike me as a female whom I would consider dating for the sole purpose of possible debauchery? I could not imagine holding a long-term relationship with her on a level surpassing friendship, yet it would be deceitful on my part to say that Sunako is physically unattractive. Thinking on it, I cannot truly imagine myself engaging in sexual intercourse with her. My relationship with her truly is platonic.

Not that I will in any manner reveal this to Minamino. I am quite thrilled at the prospect of unnerving him via leaving him with a level of paranoia regarding my interests in the object of his affection. Meanwhile, I feel that I must question Genkai more on Minamino's true identity, this 'Kurama' part of him. I find myself caring enough for Sunako that I do not want to see her fall for some ploy set up by a demon. His interest in her, I strongly believe, stems from a fully sexual desire.

(Kurama's POV)

I sit at the kitchen table while doing homework, my mother humming a tune as she finishes baking cookies. She is making them for Hatanaka and Shuichi. It is very interesting, I might add, that my future step-brother shares my human name. Mother has already promised me to not worry, insisting that while she'll love Shuichi as her own, I will always be her only "Shui-kun." A childhood term of endearment that she thankfully did not use in public. Or in front of Sunako, who would no doubt never let me live it down.

On that note, I have already explained to my mother the terms of the bet I had made with Sunako. Otherwise, I am sure that she would be very much confused when Sunako shows up in the morning on one of mother's days off. This is why I am unsurprised when my mother turns to me with a smile and asks:

"Shuichi, is Hayakawa-chan very dear to you?" My pencil stops in its movement and I look at her. "You don't bring friends over often, you know. And female ones, at that." She has a coy smile as she adds on the last piece.

I clear my throat. "Sunako and I are pretty close, yes." Mother takes the seat adjacent to my own, her hand resting atop mine, urging me to continue. "I find her attractive. That is all."

"That is not all," she says, still smiling warmly at me. That motherly smile, the one I saw upon Sunako's face earlier today as she looked at her doll. "I'm your mother, Shuichi, I can tell you're very interested in her." My eyes drop to my homework sheet. I realize this is very crucial for a human mother, to discover that your child is has romantic feelings for another. And I would not dream of robbing my mother from this moment, and so I acquiesce to humor her curiosity.

"Yes, mother, I am very interested in Sunako. And, from what I gathered, she is interested in myself as well."

"I see." There's a glint in her eye, a mischievous glint I do not often see from my mother. It unnerves me. "And when were you going to tell me the two of you were together?"

"Together?"

"She's making you breakfast, Shuichi," mother says, standing and returning to the oven to pull the cookies out. My heart skips a beat. "A woman would not agree to such terms in a bet unless she felt strongly for a man. And the way you talk about her. Shuichi, the two of you are being careful, right?"

"Careful?" Could she possibly be asking what I believe she is? I am thousands of years old, I do not need to have this talk, however… She's my mother, and I cannot simply dismiss her. "You don't mean…"

I cannot bring myself to say the words in front of this woman. She puts two of the cookies onto a plate, pours and a glass of milk, and brings them both to me. I thank her, my finger trailing along the edge of the plate.

"You know to use a condom should the two of you have sex." I blink at her. I have no doubt in my mind that I am blushing. "I only say this because, while I am sure you would make an excellent father, you are too young. The pulling out method is not a fool-proof method, Shuichi. Due to the…precum…" Mother and I are both blushing now.

"Mother, I'm sure…" My throat feels thick, and so I swallow. "We haven't…"

"You haven't done anything sexual?" I open my mouth to answer, yet nothing more than a strangled, croaking noise escapes. All I can think about is how Sunako's hand felt on my cock. My mother once more rests her hand on mine, which is clenched into a fist as I fight down the memories. "I would feel better if you allowed me to get you some condoms, Shuichi."

"Please don't do that." I do not beg often, however my mother seems to know how to bring out that side of me. The helpless child.

"Shuichi," she says, her voice stern. At this point, I am very thankful I convinced Hiei to follow Sunako, otherwise I would be forced to listen to his input on the subject. I can only agree with my mother's request. "Do you have a preference?"

I eyeball the table surface. I am finally understanding what Sunako sees right before she slams her head against her desk. I take a deep breath then look back at my mother.

"Preference? You mean…material?"

"Well, also brand…and…" Her face flushes bright red for a moment as she continues "…well, if there's a certain flavor…" Oh Inari, am I paying for all the sins I committed in my past life? I bury my face in my hands, completely mortified. Flavor. "Ah…she's not allergic to latex, is she? Do you know?"

"Mother, I promise to not engage in sexual intercourse with Hayakawa Sunako if you do not purchase any condoms," I groan out. I have never felt so defeated in my life!

"Shuichi, if you already have-"

"She saw me naked is all," I lie. I cannot allow my mother to know that Sunako jacked me off. This is awkward enough. "On accident. I promise, mother, if I were to have any intentions of…having sex with…any girl, for that matter… Mother, I promise I will ask for condoms at that time."

Her mouth is open, and I can tell she is ready to protest. I begin to think up various ways to argue with her that will not also hurt her feelings. She means well, I understand this, however… My sex life is not anything I wish to discuss with her. Before she can utter a syllable, the phone is ringing. Both of our heads turn in its direction. Mother spares one last look at me before standing and answering it. I sigh quietly in relief and turn back to my homework.

"She said my son did what?" I hear my mother say. I lift my head, turning to look in her direction. She's all but glaring at the far wall. I know that expression well; she does not believe a word of what she is hearing. "Just a minute, sir." She looks at me. "It's the principal of Meiou." My eyes widen. "There is a rumor going around that you allowed a female student to touch your-to touch you inappropriately." She turns her attention back to the phone. "Yes? No, no, he's right here. I see. No, I do not believe it's true either. Of course, sir. I understand. Yes. Alright. Bye."

Mother hangs up the phone, is still for almost an entire minute, and then takes a deep breath. She holds that in before slowly exhaling. My hand is frozen in place on the sheet of homework I am nearly finished completing.

"Mother?"

Another deep breath from her. "Shui-kun, please go get our coats. We have to meet with your principal."

_-Meiou; Principal's Office-_

My mother and I are sitting before the principal, and Iono-sensei is standing at the man's side. Iono-sensei has already stated that he believes the whole thing to be nothing more than a rumor that was thought up after it was revealed in his class that a certain Hayakawa Sunako saw myself naked. Due to the seriousness of these allegations, however, the principal found it necessary to speak with me all the same. Now that Iono-sensei has said his part, he is excused. Michi-sempai apologizes once more to my mother for this entire ordeal.

He then looks at me, remains silent for another few seconds, and finally says, "Minamino-kun, do you believe Hayakawa Sunako would divulge information regarding your physique." I blush lightly at this. Would she?

"Unfortunately, that is not something I am able to answer," I tell him. "Are there certain…details?" I do not see Sunako being able to talk about my cock to another person without dying of embarrassment, if today's incident in health class is not any indicator.

"Well, there is a certain emphasis on your…" Both Michi-sempai and I glance at my mother, who is biting her lip and blushing. You can tell she is not sure if she would like to plug her ears or not. "Your abs, mostly. Also your-erm." He would not be so flustered if it were not for the fact that my mother is sitting right beside me. Michi-sempai coughs into his hand. "Your stature."

"I see." I wait for him to continue as he fumbles with choosing his words carefully.

"You see, several girls actually were overheard speaking of how you allowed each one of them to run their hands on your, I quote here, 'finely developed abs', prior to urging them to suck-touch-uh…" Once more, our gaze flickers to my mother, who is staring at me. I blush and turn away. "To engage in the act of fellatio," he says quickly.

"So some girls were saying that my son forced them to give him a blow-job?" I have a certain desire to melt into this chair or leave the room.

"Oh, no," Michi-sempai says, shaking his head. "They said they were very willingly playing the flute." (1)

My mother looks ready to slap my principal. I, meanwhile, am nearly ready to kill a certain Hayakawa female by means of asphyxiation. At this point, she is lucky I feel so strongly for her.

_-Minamino Residence; 11 PM-_

I yawn as my mother leaves the room. We only recently returned from the school, where I had to sign a written statement that said I had not participated in the acts outlined by the spreading rumors. Upon returning home, my mother insisted that she was going to purchase condoms for me. I had no say in the matter, she said. Also, could I perhaps call the Hayakawa residence and speak with Sunako regarding her part in the rumors.

"I don't believe she meant anything by it," my mother had said, "even if she did talk about your body. From what you told me, she sounds like a very nice girl."

I strip off my clothes and climb into bed with the phone, shutting off the light on the way. Mother had already closed the door upon leaving. I dial the number for the Hayakawa residence, place the phone against my ear, and listen to the ringing. My eyes wander to the clock-oh dear. I did not realize how late it was.

"Hello?" a tired, male voice says. My heart begins to race; this is Sunako's father.

"Hello, sir," I say. "May I please speak with your daughter?"

There's shuffling on the other side, as though he is sitting up in bed. "Excuse me, but who is this? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes, sir, I apologize for how late I am calling. I am Minamino Shuichi, and I attend Meiou with your daughter."

"I see." He sounds very serious, as though he is wondering what that has to do with anything. "Number one student, right? I've heard of you."

I nod, although the man on the other end of the phone is unable to see the action. "Sir, there were certain allegations regarding my person, and Sunako may have had part in it-"

"What is it you're accusing my daughter of?"

I hold back the sigh that threatens to emerge. "Hayakawa-san, I am very fond of Sunako, I wouldn't-" My voice cuts off before I can say anything more. Did I just admit to her father my feelings?

"Just one moment," he says, his voice something of a grumble. I hear footsteps, a door opening. "It's for you." Hayakawa-san's voice is soft. I hear someone shifting around on a bed. "It's a boy." He does not sound any bit pleased with this fact.

I hear the exact moment Sunako takes the phone from her father, hear his retreating footsteps as Sunako mumbles out a tired, "Hello?"

I can contain my anger no longer; how can she be so oblivious? "Sunako. My mother is wondering why there's a rumor going around that I let a girl touch my—"

"—don't yell at me!" she yells, cutting me off. She sounds plenty awake now. "Besides—"

"I'm not talking about you." I can only imagine this is what she is thinking. And while, yes, my mother is no longer wondering how someone received information regarding my build, she is still uncertain why any female would in their right mind spread such a rumor; if they parents found out, a riot would ensue.

"What?" I sigh at the confusion in her voice. "Erm…who else would you have let—"

"—Sunako!" I growl in frustration. How can she be so naïve? Not only is there the topic of the rumor going around, there is also the fact that my mother is convinced she needs to purchase condoms. Yet I cannot tell Sunako this. Not over the phone. "Just…would you be able to convince one of your parents to give you a ride to my place?"

"What? No! My dad just left the room to go back to bed. He's already pissed off enough that I got a call this late, much less from a boy! Are you crazy?"

I sigh once more. I suppose I will have to stick to the topic of the rumor. At least there I will be able to get a few answers. "Who did you talk to today after I left?"

"What? Why?"

"Did you offer any information regarding my physique to any girls that go to our school?"

"Uhm…like…about your sexy abs?" I cannot suppress the groan. Frustration. Slight arousal at the way she says 'sexy abs'. She pronounced it 'shex-shay'. Emphasizing the damn word. "Eh…I could always tell your mom I'm the one who—"

"Sunako!" This is the last thing I need. My mother will insist she buy a generous amount of condoms if Sunako says anything to that degree.

"…I was going to say started the rumor because of a dare, but if you wanted me to, I could do that too." Does she want my mother to hate her? If Sunako were to start such a rumor regarding myself and my mother knew it was her, I doubt Sunako would survive.

"My mother knows it didn't happen, Sunako. I'm not worried about that. I was simply curious as to why there was a certain emphasis on my abs rather than—"

"Okay, so whatever." Unreasonable!

"Don't be like that, Sunako."

"Dude, you woke me up at eleven. If you want pancakes in the morning, you better let me get to sleep. Otherwise the only thing you'll be getting…" She sounds so cranky. I take it she is most likely not a morning person. "….is probably just the syrup."

"And you," I say before I can stop myself. She is completely silent on the other end. I chuckle at this. How easily she gets flustered. "Just watch what you say, Sunako. Goodnight."

"Uh-huh. You know, you better not have called me just so that you could masturbate while I'm on the phone."

"Su-Sunako!" Blood is pooling into a very specific region on my anatomy. "You shouldn't say…" I release a deep breath, attempting to get control over myself. I'm so frustrated with the girl that the thought of dominating her in bed is just-it's almost too much.

"Well sorry, but I was having a really good dream before you called."

"Really?" If I play my cards correctly, perhaps I can relieve myself of some of this pent-up frustration.

"Uhm…" There is a pause. I hear her get up out of bed, listen as she closes a door, and then she finally whispers, "Dude, you can't tell anyone."

"Mmm." It's a noise of agreement. Of course I won't tell anyone. My hand begins to travel down my body; if she's going to tell me such things and I enjoy myself thoroughly as a result, why would I betray her trust by telling anyone? "And you can't put your hands anywhere below your waist while I tell you. Because it's not that sort of dream." I moan out in disappointment, my hand freezing just as my fingertips slip under the hem of my boxers. "I was dreaming that I had beat you in math."

"Wh-what?" Suddenly, I am not feeling quite so aroused.

"Yeah, it was totally awesome! I mean—"

"Sunako, are you serious?" This is a disappointment.

"Yeah…why?" I hit the 'end' button on the phone. Suddenly, I am far more frustrated with her than I was previously. How is it that someone of her intelligence can be so completely oblivious? I groan and turn over in bed.

"How is it that I find myself loving her even more because of this?"

_-Morning-_

There is a soft knock on the front door, and I imagine it is Sunako. I walk over and open the door. I most likely look none-the-bit thrilled with her, as her eyes begin darting every which way. I move to the side so that she has ample room to enter. She heads straight for the kitchen, her doll in tow.

I move to the dining room table, eyeing Sunako as she walks. "How is Rugia holding up in cat form?" Sunako only shrugs and begins sorting through the pancakes ingredients I had previously laid out on the ledge for her.

"I don't know. Well, he has been acting extra tired lately. Maybe it's a side effect from being a cat for so long?"

I shake my head as she turns to look at me, waiting for a response. "More likely it is because he is regaining his powers while trapped inside such a small body." She hums thoughtfully and turns back to the task at hand. She begins to mix the batter. "Was that really what you were dreaming about last night?" I honestly do not see how she could have been so excited by a dream regarding math.

I pick up Sunako's doll and 'feed' it the bottle Iono-sensei gave us. Apparently, due to the doll being electronic, it senses the bottle and keeps record of how often it is fed. "Yeah, why?" I choose not to answer that question. I will not tell her that I was hoping she was dreaming of something more…erotic…for the purpose of my own pleasure. She sends me a knowing look. "I warned you it wasn't that sort of dream."

"And why then, Sunako, am I not permitted to tell anyone?"

"Dude, do you know how much I'd get teased for being excited about having a dream about math? It's not exactly normal." Well now, at least she realizes this fact. Suddenly it seems adorable that she was excited about the dream.

"I think it's quite endearing, Sunako," I tell her. She sort of smiles then looks around. It seems as though she is waiting for something, or someone. "My mother already left for work, if that's what you're worried about though."

"Shuichi…"

"Hmm?"

"Uhm…in the dream…"

"The one about math?"

"Yeah….well….the embarrassing part….that I didn't tell you…. It's that…." Ah, I should have known.

"Were you naked in it, Sunako?" It's a wonderful thing to picture.

"Yeah," she groans.

I smile and explain, "Well, then that was probably why you beat me in math."

"Excuse me?" she all but shrieks. As though I have done her some great wrong.

"If I hadn't been distracted by your body, surely I would have had no issues."

"Uh-huh, no." I smirk. She's very cute when she's so confident in herself. "Dude, shut up. Besides, where's my book shopping spree?"

I raise a single brow. "Is that the only reason you love me? Other than my 'sexy' abs." She blushes a very deep shade of red at the final portion of my teasing.

"Fuck me sideways, I hadn't meant that." She glares at me, yet I can only stare at her. My mouth suddenly feels very dry. The way she moved with that comment; her skirt outlined her ass quite nicely. "Stop staring at me like that."

"It's hard not to, Sunako, when you say such things while in a skirt."

"You know what, just shut up and eat your pancakes." She nearly slams the plate down in front of me.

"Yum." Sunako sighs, as though she does not know what to do with herself or me. "Would you like to join me?"

"Like a date?" My heart skips a beat. She seats herself in the chair opposite of mine.

"You want a date?" Does she really? I lean towards her, one hand still holding the bottle against her doll's mouth. My pulse is beginning to race. I am ready to set myself up for rejection once more for her. Ready to face more conversations regarding condoms with my mother. "Sunako, would you go out on a date with me?"

-1-1-1-1-1-

1. I could not remember how to spell fellatio and decided to look it up on wiki. It said how in modern Japan it is often referred to as 'playing the flute'. You learn new things every day! Even if they aren't very useful…

Part of Kurama wants to kill Sunako, and the other part loves her. Kaito thinks Sunako's too crazy to find her very sexually attractive. Ah, high school relationships… How I miss those.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, so I've had _most_ of this written out for a while. Then however, I had a huge chunk written on paper, which I lost. I finally gave up on locating that page and just finished up the chapter by continuing from the part I had typed up.

Also, life has been so crazy. As soon as one thing starts to settle down, another thing has popped up. I've decided to dedicate a little time each week, if not each day, to writing both Waffles and Pancakes. Thank you for everyone who has stuck around with me this long. I do _not_ plan on abandoning this series.

-1-1-1-1-

Chapter 4: Friendly Lecture {Remix 1.0}

(Kurama's POV)

My pulse is racing as I wait for Sunako to answer my question. She, however, only stares at me with blinking eyes and mouth slightly agape. I believe she is in a state of disbelief. Had she previously thought that I would not ask to date her? I have made my intentions no secret, and she should not be shocked that I have ventured to request this. Sunako closes her mouth, opens it, and closes it once more. I am not sure whether this is a good omen or otherwise. I set the doll in my arms down into the makeshift car seat prior to taking the first bite of pancakes. I may as well eat while I await her answer.

Sunako blinks quite a few times, literally twitches in her seat, and then sputters out a string of nonsensical words that I suppose I will have to choose to dismiss. She takes a deep breath and then, once more calm, says, "Uhhhm...no?"

My hand freezes, and the bite of pancake that was on the fork falls back to the plate. I eye the food while she repeats the second word, this time in a more definite manner. I only nod at her. I do not know what there would be to say to her. I am quite sure there are many reasons-some of them better than others-that she has for rejecting me. At the same time, I cannot say that I am in any way pleased with the results of this conversation. The only thing left to do is finish breakfast and go to school; and, of course, try to ignore the fact that Sunako suddenly seems quite giddy for someone who just turned down a boy. She is continuously attempting to bite back a grin, and is quite fidgety in her seat at this time.

I clear my throat, set her doll down on the table for her to retrieve, and take the final bite of pancake. Sunako reaches to take my plate to the sink, however I move faster than her. I can hear Sunako mumble something to herself as I rinse off the dish, and then the pair of us are moving towards the door; Sunako once more has her doll cradled in her arms. At this point, I can say that she is doing a better job at keeping down her unwarranted joy. The two of us walk together in silence the entire trip to Meiou.

-Second Period-

No sooner do I sit down at my desk then does a small group of girls come over. I, naturally blink and look at them with mild curiosity; they do not usually act so boldly. One of the girls, Itana, places a hand on my shoulder. This causes me to begin to worry, especially after the ordeal with the rumor that had spread on amongst and because of the girls. I open my mouth to speak, but am immediately cut off by Itana.

"I heard about what happened," she says. "I'm so sorry." My stomach leaps then collapses, summersaults and churns. A number of things race through my mind in that moment; the rumor that spread revolving around my allowing girls to perform fellatio, or something happened to my mother, or Sunako did something very stupid _again._

I can only force a smile, cock my head to the side, and say, kindly, "I'm not sure what you are talking about, Itana-chan."

A second girl, Etsuko, puts both her hands atop one of mine. "We all heard-how...I mean, you must be embarrassed. If you don't want to talk about it..."

The five girls around my desk all nod in unison. I believe that I can eliminate the possibility of this involving my mother. I urge them to continue, stating that I am still unsure of what they mean, and could they please explain. I also assure them that I will not be angry with them in any way, if they could only fulfill this request.

Etsuko shuffles a bit, keeps her hands on mine, and explains, "We heard about how you asked Hayakawa-chan out...and that she rejected you because she's interested in dating Akana-chan."

There we have it; Sunako has done something very stupid yet again. I sigh, shake my head, and find myself smiling. Etsuko and Itana both ask if I'm fine, if I would like to talk about it, and I kindly decline. The other three girls, Yuri, Ritsuko, and Harada, ask if I am sure. (1)

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for worrying." I pause then continue with, "Also, I do not believe Sunako is interested in women that way..." Except for possibly my mother; that, of course, shall not be said.

The five eye me skeptically yet say nothing in protest. Once class is over, I should make sure to catch Sunako in the hall. I doubt she necessarily realizes that a number of students believe she is either bisexual or lesbian. In the meantime, I will quietly endure the offers of sympathy from my classmates, male and female alike, on being rejected because of Sunako's fictitious sexuality.

-Chemistry-

I have failed several times to catch Sunako in the hallway between classes, and I no longer believe that I could speak with her without losing my head. The rumor of the reason behind her rejecting me has spread, and I doubt a soul in this school has been left out. I have been offered many sympathies, advice, and a number of letters from secret admirers stating that they hope to make me feel "loads better". I am ignoring the fact that a small percentage of the letters were explicit and quite direct on how they desired to "ease my pain". All the same, I would have to admit that communication with Sunako at this point would be a poorly made decision.

I enter the classroom with no attempt to walk in Sunako's direction; she, meanwhile, is standing with Kaito and has on her face an expression known as what some would call a "fish face". No doubt he is urging her to explain the rumors that are currently circulating campus. Mere seconds after I take a seat on the side of the room opposite of where Sunako is standing, another female classmate of mine takes the chair beside mine.

Our teacher enters the room shortly after, and the entire class pulls out their notebooks for the oral lesson. I focus my attention on taking note the entire class period. There are a few occasions during which time a doll breaks out crying, yet Akubo-sensei does not allow this to distract her in the least. She manages to complete the lesson with time to spare, and tells us that we may quietly start on our homework-she places a certain emphasis on the word quietly.

Beside me, Misato starts to do her homework and says, "Minamino-kun, a few of us are going to be having a picnic today after school. Did you want to come?" She bats her eyelashes at me while speaking. In the corner of my eye, I see Sunako shift uncomfortably in her seat, and I have no doubt in my mind that she is eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Mm..." A picnic with a group of school girls. Contrary to popular belief, it's not an ideal place for a lone school boy. "Most likely, I will not be able to attend."

"Oh," Misato says, disappointment showing through that single word and every one of her actions. She stays quiet for a moment, answers another homework question, and then speaks up again. "You know, if you want to talk about what Hayakawa did to you, I'll listen." I can see Sunako's mouth drop open, and I tense for a moment, thinking that she just might pipe up with some sort of protest.

I shift so that Sunako is unable to see my face or hands. "Were you in the same class as Hayakawa when she spoke about it?"

"Mm-hmm," Misato says with a small nod that I am sure my body hides from Sunako's view. Misato brushes a stand of hair out of her face. "Akana and Hayakawa were talking-I mean, Hayakawa was just so giddy and all, so Akana was wondering what happened. Hayakawa said that she had been asked out, and Akana asked when the day was." I nod, urging her to continue. "Then...well, if I remember right, Hayakawa said that she had turned down the guy, and Akana was confused about it. Then that's when your name came up.

"After that, Akana told Hayakawa to go apologize and beg you to...oh, I shouldn't say that part." Misato blushes and looks down at her homework. She begins writing in more answers as she continues to talk. "Akana and Hayakawa talked about. Mostly Akana was giving Hayakawa advice, I think. I just remember Hayakwa telling Akana that she would be a lesbian for her. It was really funny."

"So," I cannot help but begin, "you don't think poorly of Hayakawa?"

Misato looks at me, as though confused or wounded that I would say such a thing. "Minamino-kun, Hayakawa is my friend. I mean, we're not that close but we've known each other for a few years now. She's helped me with my English work here and there." Sparing a glance in the direction of her completed assignment, she continues, "I just think it was weird of her to reject you when it's obvious that the two of you get along so well. I mean, I thought that you were already dating...well, I mean, not that it's allowed at our grade, but..."

"...but we do it anyway, hmm?" I finish for her. She nods, and begins to put away her schoolwork.

"I just thought getting out would be nice after that," she mutters.

"A-oh, I appreciate the thought, Misato-chan, I do," I assure her. "However, unlike yourself, not all of the girls in the group are necessarily so kind or understanding."

Misato smiles at me knowingly. "They're not _that_ bad." I return the grin.

-After School-

After enduring a few more hours of condolences, picnic proposals, and general dating advice, I have arrived at the end of the school day. I am headed to my locker, carrying both my backpack and 'Tohru' as well as the diaper bag for the doll. At the same time, I am currently being stalked by Sunako, who no doubt is aware that I know she is following me. I am still quite unsure of what to say to her, even after Misato's explanation of the events that transpired. Thus I begin putting away my schoolbooks for today; I have finished the majority of my homework, but also have to watch the doll tonight. Meanwhile, Sunako is standing beside my locker and staring at me.

It is quite strange to not see the babydoll in her arms, yet also a rather positive fact; Kaito, I am assuming, agreed to take care of their health project tonight.

Sunako shifts positions to where her back is flat against the locker beside mine. She is staring at my face from what I can see, and I am beginning to hope she speaks first. I am still uncertain for as to what to say. She starts to chew on her bottom lip and twirl a strand of her hair around her finger. I curse my sensitive sense of smell as I take in the scent of her shampoo. (2)

I allow my eyes to wander over to her, force a smile, and move to say something-anything. "I can go on a public date with you," Sunako says, her voice quiet and cracking in several places.

I blink, not quite sure what she means. I always thought dates were generally in the public; restaurants and theaters more often than not have other patrons. "A what?"

"You know, like a group thing. Your fangirls-Mayu included-want you to go to a picnic. I figure we can go together, as a date. I mean, I don't think I'm quite ready to go on a date just the two of us. Eh...with the pressure and all."

I stare at Sunako, thinking of what it is she's requesting. I am slightly amused by the fact that she refers to Mayu as a fangirl still. I also wonder how much pressure she feels when she is alone with me; I do not push her too much, do I?

The babydoll in my arms starts to cry and I rock it, glaring at the vile thing. I do so wish that this project in health class was not mandatory.

"Oh!" Sunako says, bouncing on her heels and nearly leaping at me. "Except there's one more thing." I look at her, growing curious. "You'd have to meet my parents."

That, I wish to say, is not a simple 'one more thing'. All the same, I do understand that this is proper procedure.

"So, you want me to jump through hoops to gain your affection," I tease, grinning. Sunako blushes deeply. That expression, the image of a blushing schoolgirl, brings out a more predatory side to me. I cannot help but ask her, "Is there a sort of prize for me?"

"Huh?"

"You tend to view this as a game," I say, still teasing her but acting innocent. She eyes me suspiciously. "Surely you have a prize set up if I agree to meet your parents and go on this public date."

"Extra syrup tomorrow morning?" She says this as a question, her tone completely uncertain and innocent. I cannot help but laugh quietly. "Okay, okay. If you do this then you cannot kiss me at the end of the date-"

"How-"

"Shut up and let me finish!" I close my mouth, suddenly interested in this more assertive Sunako. "Instead, tomorrow, after chemistry class, you'll slam me against my locker-" I swallow hard. "-all sexy like, though, otherwise it'll hurt-and-" I have to fight to suppress a shudder, to keep myself from slamming her against _my_ locker a this very minute. "-then you'll put your right hand beside my head, and use your left hand to trail up my body-" I can feel my face beginning to grow red, my eyes widening; just what do they teach these girls in America? "-very slowly, then across my chin...and kiss me."

I stare at her, my face a bit hot and my mouth suddenly very dry. I take a moment to clear my head, to regain my composure, and take another breath before responding to her.

"Sunako, you do realize that you are asking me to practically rape you-"

"No, I'm consenting to it. It isn't rape." She states this matter-of-factly.

"You're very naive."

"What? No I'm not." Sunako stares at me as though I've grown a second head. Not that she has any room at this point to judge what I say. "Oh yeah! Wear something normal... You know, something like...casual...jeans...I mean, I love the clothes from the Tour-that thingy, but people would stare." I have to give her points for catching herself, however I do wonder why she feels it necessary to tell me how to dress. I am plenty capable of that.

"Sunako, I'm sure I know very well how to dress myself in an appropriate fashion."

She looks at me skeptically and sighs. "Okay, if you say so. Well...uhm...come over in about an hour? I need some prep time for my parents. ...Plus I need to get home, so that takes time too. Hopefully they'll like you."

My heart skips a beat at her final statement, which she had said in a rather thoughtful tone.

"You don't think they will?"

"Uhm…"

"Was that supposed to stay in your head?"

"…yes?" I smirk in response. Deciding that this is the perfect moment to head home, I pass Sunako, allowing my smallest finger to run a smooth course up her leg until it barely starts to lift her skirt; I then withdraw the contact.

-Minamino Residence-

One might believe that I should have suspected this would occur. Following my discarding my backpack in my room, I asked my mother to temporarily watch my health project. She agreed to do so, but also wished to know where I was going. I responded with the truth, that I would be taking Sunako to a picnic that a few of our other classmates were attending. "Oh, perfect timing then," she says, handing me a brown paper bag. I can hear a small, cardboard box shift around in there.

"You didn't..." I stare at the object in my hand with horror.

My mom avoids looking into my face as she cradles the babydoll in her arms. "Shuichi, I'm just worried. I would feel much better if you would at least carry one with you. Should you choose to be...should you choose to do such things, I'm sure her father would rather not have to worry about pregnancy as well should he find out." She sighs, but smiles at me. "It's a serious issue, Shuichi."

And this, boys and girls, is how my mother guilt-tripped me into putting a condom into my wallet. I will have to remember to not allow Sunako to ever go through it-or my dresser drawers, for that matter.

I change out of my school clothes and into a pair of jeans and casual shirt. After kissing my mother goodbye, I leave the house and head for Sunako's; no doubt things will only get more awkward before they finally settle down long enough for Sunako and I to go to the picnic.

-Hayakawa Residence-

I raise my hand, form a fist, and knock on the door; hard enough to be heard, however soft enough so as to not be obnoxious. I hear some slight stirring inside. I wonder if Suanko is ready, or if she and her parents were still discussing our date. It takes a few minutes of subsequent silence before she comes to the door and opens it. Her face, slightly pale upon first opening the door, brightens just a light shade of red as her eyes rake over my body.

"Would you like to come in?" she asks after a moment, her eyes glued to my waist. I clear my throat with a laugh, and she raises her gaze to meet mine. Sunako's blush deepens. I'm not sure if she realize I caught her staring or if she is rethinking her question; what other reason would I be here but to come in?

Sunako steps to the side, allows me to enter her home, and the two of us head towards what I suspect to be the dining room. Yes, that is exactly where we wind up.

I bow in introduction to her parents. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hayakawa. My name is Minamino Shuichi; I attend Meiou with your daughter. With your consent, I would like to take Sunako to a picnic a group of our classmates our hosting."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Minamino-kun," her mother says, also bowing. Her father acts similarly. Meanwhile, in the background, Sunako is fidgeting nervously. Slight movements, shifting from foot to foot; I cannot help but wonder if she suspects her parents are going to refuse to allow us to date.

Finished with the introductions, Mr. Hayakawa places a hand on my shoulder and says, "Come with me." Sunako looks about ready to slam her head into the wall, and I can do more than to agree. I follow Hayakawa-san to the hallway, where I imagine I am about to receive what people refer to as 'the talk'. I cannot say that I have ever had this pleasure; it will certainly be a new experience for me.

"So," he begins, rubbing the back of his head, "I didn't think I'd have to give this lecture so soon. My daughter, she's more focused on her books than she is boys." His eyes flicker over my body, my face. I continue to stand straight, and give a small nod of acknowledgement to show that I am listening. "I grew up in America, but I've also been in Japan long enough. Boys—men—they're the same either place. Let me see your wallet."

Very few humans have managed to scare or startle me as much as this man has just now. My mind flashes over the contents of my wallet—the condom my mother convinced me to place in before this date. I take a deep breath, reach into my pocket, and with ease remove the object without arousing so much attention; simultaneously, I pull the wallet out of my pocket and hand it to Hayakawa-san. He turns the object about in his hands a few times, asks my permission to sift through it, and then does so after I nod. The first item that catches his full attention is my student I.D. This he takes out of the wallet and proceeds to read.

"Ah," he says. "Now I recognize you; number one student, correct?"

"Yes, sir," I say with a nod. He grunts in what I imagine to be slight approval then points a finger at me. I blink.

"You're the one who called late at night? For my daughter." Once more, all I can do is nod. "Hmm. Your wallet is clean. Now, son, would you mind turning out your pockets?"

I clear my throat, swallow the generous amount of saliva that has gathered in my mouth, and choke out, "Hmm?" He holds out a hand. Palm up, waiting. I take a deep breath, reach into my pants pockets, and turn them inside out; with skills obtained during all my years as a thief, I am able to slide the condom into my sleeve without Mr. Hayakawa noticing. He nods once, satisfied.

"Do you own any condoms, Minamino-kun?"

"Sir?" I am not quite sure how to respond to this man; I wonder if perhaps Suanko inherited her spiritual awareness from her father. He seems rather intuitive.

Sunako's father places my I.D. back into the wallet, and hands it to me. After returning my pockets to their normal state, I place my wallet within.

"Kids your age—they find a way." He crosses his arms over his chest and looks at me, knowingly. I take one last deep breath and turn up my hand, the condom presented to him. Much to my surprise, Sunako's father chuckles. "That one looks fresh. What do you plan on doing with my daughter again today, hmm?" There is a slight edge in his voice.

As Mr. Hayakawa plucks the condom from my hand and inspects it, I proceed to tell him of the rumor that had spread throughout my fanclub and a small portion of the school, and my mother's reaction to it all. He says nothing in response, only asks for my wallet one last time. Obliging, I offer it to him. Instead, he shakes his head and asks if I would be so kind as to open it for him. Once more, I do as he asks. Mr. Hayakawa places the condom into my wallet once more and then tells me to put my wallet back into my pocket. Startled, my hand shakes for a single moment before I do so.

"When you bring my daughter back—I want her here _before_ seven tonight—you will show me that condom one last time." Ah, now I see; he has marked the packaging somehow. I feign puzzlement until he says. "I'm sure you understand what I did, Minamino-kun. You're the top student at your school and Sunako speaks highly of you. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt today and let you show me that you respect both myself and, more importantly, my daughter."

"Yes, sir," I say, inclining my head. I raise it the moment he places a hand on my shoulder. We meet one another's gaze.

"If you break my daughter's heart, Minamino Shuichi, after she's done kicking your ass—I'll be right there to finish the job."

Those are the final words he says to me prior to leading me towards the dining room once more. Sunako's mother is waiting next to Sunako, her camera in tow. Sunako is begging her mother to not do it, asking for her to not take a picture; it's not necessary, she says.

"Respect your mother," Mr. Hayakawa says from behind me. Sunako's shoulders slump, and immediately her begging ceases.

"Sunako!" Mrs. Hayakawa says when her daughter attempts to make a dash for the door. "You let me get a picture of you with your first boyfriend or I swear you will be grounded for a month!"

"But…but…" Once more, Sunako's shoulders slump. This time, however, her face is beat red in embarrassment. She drags her feet as she walks over to me. Her mother tells her to smile, tells me to smile, and snaps a picture.

"First boyfriend, hmm?" I whisper to her. Sunako's mother, however, has excellent hearing.

"Yes." Anther click of the camera, another flash of light. I imagine Sunako is glaring at me in this picture. "She's only had a few crushes in her life—two, actually. I remember the worst one," she says in a motherly voice. She's off in her memories of Sunako's younger days. "Fourth grade; I got called into her school on Valentine's day. The boy had given a card to a girl other than Sunako, and Suna-chan punched him in the face. The teacher had to pry her off of him."

I glance at Sunako out of the corner of my eye. She is staring at her mother as though she has just experienced the ultimate betrayal.

-Two Minutes Later-

After Sunako and her parents are done hugging one another goodbye, and once Mr. Hayakawa has nodded in my direction a final time, Sunkao and I head out the door. Her face is still flushed in embarrassment. She is digging her nails into the handle on her purse in her normal fidgeting.

"It sounds like you were an adorable child," I tell her. She glares at me, but I can only smile and wrap my arm around her waist. She is still adorable. "I promise that I will only give you a valentine this year, Sunako."

"Shut it, you. Otherwise this date will be a fail, and you won't get to slam me up against my locker."

I laugh; it's hard not to think about what her father would do to either of us if he knew about this arrangement. "I could always just use my own locker for that, hmm?" Sunako's jaw tighten; she does not even attempt to respond. I, in turn, pull her closer as we continue to walk towards the park.

-1-1-1-1-1-

Now I'm off to work on Pancakes' next chapter. Love ya'll, and hope you had fun with this chapter. And yes, the condom _will_ come into play in Pancakes later.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Friendly Lecture {Remix 2.0}

(Kaito's POV)

It is second hour in school when word has spread that Sunako, a lesbian with sexual interests in her best friend, has admittedly rejected Shuichi. The speed of this rumor no doubt indicates the faculty is privy to its existence. I am suddenly curious as to what their opinions are on the matter. Minamino Shuichi, after all, is Meiou's number one student. Dating is frowned upon, and no doubt there may be fears arising regarding the fact that his grades may begin to decline-be it from the act of dating, or the heartache this rejection may have caused him. They remain in the dark that Minamino is a demon, plenty old enough to where, although this rejection has no doubt upset him, his intelligence won't be affected by such an unimportant disappointment.

I sigh to myself, somehow unsurprised that Sunako has managed to place herself in such a predicament. Last school year seemed to mark the end of her good sense. I cannot help but wonder what occurred to change all that. (1)

Proceeding to ignore my classmates' gabbering on the subject, I turn open the first page of a book I purchased for the purpose of expanding my English vocabulary. A Separate Peace by John Knowles; a book that many high school students in America are to read. Apparently it is full of symbolism, which catches my interest. Jumping from a tree into a lake somehow represents baptism or rebirth-and my mind is suddenly once more drawn to Kurama. He must have timed it exactly to be able to place his soul into a body without one. From what I have studied, a soul enters the body during conception. It does indeed go to show the malicious character the demon Kurama possesses.

How similar Minamino and I are to Phineas and Gene. How alike my jealousy of Minamino, that I desire to defeat him in a battle that Genkai is setting up. She wants our attack to be something of a show, a farce. I, however, plan on doing all that I can to once and for all beat Minamino at something. I wonder what his soul will look like, an orb in the palm of my hand. I plan to jounce the limb he is on, the one that marks him as my intellectual superior, and watch him fall.

Phineas and Minamino each possess green eyes and a voice, as Knowles puts it, "the equivalent in sound of a hypnotist's eyes". How annoyed I am that a demon is placed on a higher pedestal than myself, even a demon who has claimed to have gone through some drastic moral change.

I must commend Sunako for being able to see through a portion of his charade; despite welcoming a friendship with Kurama, she is wise enough to deny him further intimacy. Though, I cannot help but contemplate what pressures he may now push on her, how he may wish to convince her otherwise. I wonder, should I temporarily pretend to reciprocate Sunako's feelings, would that spare her further dangers Minamino could pose? Admittedly, this would be partially unfair to Hayakawa.

Currently her best friend, Mayu, is sitting in the desk behind mine with her head in her hands. I imagine she is attempting to will herself into invisibility. Being a portion of the subject in a negative rumor surely is driving her crazy. She knows Sunako better than myself, and I am contemplating getting her input on the possibility of my dating Hayakawa Sunako.

"Sunako rejected Minamino, I hear," I mention quietly, hoping to avoid as many eavesdroppers as possible.

Mayu emits a sound that resembles something of a squeak and a groan combined. I raise my eyebrow, but do not turn around to face her. "I honestly don't get why-she likes the guy," Mayu says. I frown in response to this revelation; perhaps I offered Sunako too much credit.

"Oh?" I keep my voice level, presenting not a single hint that I am displeased by the revelation.

"Mm-hmm." The conversation is interrupted and ultimately dropped as our teacher enters the classroom.

-Chemistry-

Sunako's eyes dart around as she enters the classroom, and I cannot say as I blame her. A multitude of our classmates are still gawking over the fact that this girl indeed rejected the infamous Minamino Shuichi. I would join their gawking-over the fact that she rejected him despite harboring feelings for him-if I were not aware of Kurama's true character. Instead I must see if I can perchance convince her to keep her answer the same, to not pursue Minamino nor allow him to pursue her.

Eyes landing on myself, Sunako immediately heads over and hands the doll to me. "I hear you rejected Minamino-this is true?" I wish to hear it straight from her mouth.

Instead Sunako sucks in her cheeks and puckers her lips; the fish-face that children so often make. It is as though she has forgotten how to breathe correctly. A second later, simultaneous to the moment my brows raise, she shrugs and relaxes her face. Her mind is elsewhere, however. On Shuichi, who has entered the room. Minamino does not once spare a glance in Hayakawa's direction, and immediately I see a deflation in her demeanor. Here it is; she is infatuated with the fox. Sighing over him, no doubt regretting the fact that she rejected him.

"Would you like to sit with me today, Sunako?" I offer. Having watched a different girl sit beside Shuichi, Sunako accepts. She still seems to be thinking over Minamino, her mind no doubt in a slight jealous fit over the female who has apparently taken her place.

Carrying the doll, I lead Sunako over to the table we will be sitting at. Her eyes continuously flicker from myself over to Minamino. Hoping to end this, I attempt to strike up a conversation:

"How was Sakura last night?"

"Kaito," she begins, her entire focus on myself at this time, "our baby's name is Sadako."

I can do nothing more than blink as that single line runs through my mind. My vision swims, and I try to make sense of the unnaturally...natural nature of the sentence. To hear it from Sunako: our baby's name. Over and over in my head. Perhaps it is the way in which she had spoken those words. With complete conviction. Our baby, as though it were real, as though she had truly mothered the doll. Given birth to it, if you will.

And, due to the fact that she has so convinced herself that she is a mother, I cannot deny her anything. I can do nothing more than sigh in concession while at the same time smiling at the warped sense of reality Sunako possess.

Class starts, and I, along with the rest of my classmates, take notes on the oral lesson. If only to keep face, similar to what Minamino does. We do not need these notes, nor do we spare them a second glance. All the while, during my absent-minded note-taking, the only thing that registers and runs through my mind is Sunako's voice saying: our baby.

When did Hayakawa Sunako, that girl-intelligent and loving in math, yet so much like a child in her hyperness-develop such a motherly glow? When did she mature in that manner? To develop such a protectiveness for a simple doll, to allow herself to love it as though it were a real being. Is it that she is delusional? Or is this a reason the demon Kurama has targeted her? Perhaps only to implant his seed in an individual who won't eat their young.

-1-1-1-1-

1. Rugia happened, obviously. El oh el.

Honestly? I have no idea. But yes, Kaito has started his planning. Mostly just to spite Kurama, but also a bit because he does think of Sunako as a friend.


End file.
